Making a Beaded Ring? Here’s a Useful Tip

This tip is going to be short and to the point.  When you are making a beaded ring, if it is at all possible, you should bead the shank separately. If you need to re-size the ring as my Boyfriend did with the  Peek-A-Boo ring it is much less time consuming.

I like to make my rings comfortable and that often means I’ve added more beads to the shank than the pattern called for.  If the shank of the ring breaks, having the forethought to do two separate pieces will mean that you don’t have to rework the more time consuming top part of the ring.

If the top half of the ring breaks, you will still have the shank in one piece, which means you can use it as a visual guide for sizing, just count the beads and make them match.

However, If the pattern allows for it, you may still be able to salvage the intact shank. If you look at the side view of the Peek A boo ring, the shank could have been attached to the fire polish beads that comprise  the base ring of the top. With careful planning an experienced beader might be able to just re-attach the shank in the appropriate place when re-constructing the top of the ring. Of course, if that’s you… then you probably didn’t need this tip in the first place!

I’m currently working on Jean Campbell’s “Carmen” ring , from her book “Creating Glamorous Jewelry” and she uses this method as well.  I’ve broken my thread three times while constructing the top of the ring. It’s totally my fault as I’m pulling my tension too tight. The last time it happened I was thinking to myself how happy I’d be if I never had to make the top again, and it prompted this post. I love the design though.

I’ve  got photos from several projects piling up. For some I need to go through and pull out the books that I’ve found the patterns in, and others I am trying to decide what to do with them. I finished my “Cleo” earrings and I accidentally clipped my thread too short. I love the pattern, it goes together so quickly but I’m not sure I’d wear them. I’m contemplating turning one of the earrings in to a necklace.. in which case I don’t need to re-make the one I clipped to short. Decisions, decisions.

Happy Beading!  I hope you found this tip useful.